Reap What You Sow
by LittleMewLugia
Summary: When the Reflector gestalt set is injured on a mission, it comes to their attention that they were set up. They take their revenge in a calculated manner.
1. Chapter 1

Summary: When the Reflector gestalt set is injured on a mission, it comes to their attention that they were set up. They take their revenge in a calculated manner.

Rating: M for safety

Disclaimer: Not mine.

Warnings: Character death.

Universe/Continuity: G1

A/N: This is yet another product of the Sanjuno Seeker-protection programming bunny, but set in the G1-Verse. Thanks is due to tlcoopi7 for spotting errors and telling me about them...he is more up with G1 and how the mechs interact than I.

"_Italic speech" _is telepathy or gestalt-bond speak.

Reap What You Sow. 

Chapter One.

Sowing the Wind

The three mechs collectively known as Reflector were stood in front of Megatron, in the main control-room of the _Nemesis_. As they lined up in front of them, he spoke.

"I have a mission for you three. I want you to infiltrate the _Ark_ and find out as much as you can about Autobot operations over the next six months. I am aware that the _Ark_ has a force-field over its entrance: there is a weak spot." He gave them the information, obtained by Ravage.

"Ravage found it a week ago, he has recently disabled the alarms that would inform the Autobots of your approach. Now, go and get me this information. That is all."

The Reflector gestalt had plenty more questions it would have liked to have asked, but the expression on Megatron's face dissuaded them, and they turned and left.

oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo

Megatron called Starscream in once he had sent the Reflector gestalt on their mission.

"Starscream, I want you to follow the gestalt team one human hour after they leave the _Nemesis_. You are to check back on their condition, and inform me the moment you can confirm that they are permanently offline."

The Seeker looked puzzled.

"You are certain this mission will result in their deactivation?" he asked.

"The Autobots know of the weakened part of the force-field, they have set up an electrical discharge field to defend it. The Reflector units are unaware of this, and must remain so," the Decepticon leader said.

"Mighty Megatron - I do not understand why," the Seeker said.

"That is why I am the leader and you the follower, Starscream," Megatron replied. "The Reflector units are almost useless in combat, and I believe them to be planning treachery against me. Their elimination will neutralise a threat and send out a clear signal to all who seek to oppose me. They will be the example that says treachery against Megatron will not be tolerated."

"If you are so sure the field will kill them, why send _me_ out after them?" Starscream asked.

"Because I am not sure of that at all," Megatron said. "If they still live when you find them, it is _your _task to ensure that they cease to do so. Now, go and ready yourself for the mission."

Starscream left, feeling very unsettled, and neither he nor Megatron noticed Ravage slink out of the room and head for the exit of the _Nemesis_.

oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo

The Reflector units soon found their target. Slipping to a place hidden by rocks and scrubby bushes, they set to work.

Less than five minutes into their task they heard a crackle, and felt pain.

All three twitched as electrical current surged through their bodies, and all three mech dropped to the ground, offline.

oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo

They came around from the electrical jolt to find Ravage pawing at them. The black mechanical cat had once been warned by Reflector about a mech who was trying to damage him and get him in trouble. As soon as Soundwave became aware of it, he dealt with the scheming mech personally and decisively, and Ravage had had no further trouble of that kind. The Cassetticon had promised it would repay the debt one day.

Ravage put a paw on one of the mech's legs to communicate telepathically. The gestalt bond would ensure all three heard

"_I recorded this conversation ten minutes ago. I repay my debt to you."_

Ravage began playing back the recorded conversation between Megatron and Starscream.

oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo

As the recorded conversation had come to an end, the three mechs had looked up in surprise.

"Megatron wants us _killed_?" one of them asked.

"Why? We are not traitors?" the second asked.

"He…he must know we have potentially compromising material on him, as we do on all on the _Nemesis_." the third mused. Ravage reached out to put a paw on one of the mech's legs, so to utilise his touch telepathy again.

"_What you do with the information is up to you, but you are hurt. I shall reconnect the alarms. You must set them off. You are helpless in this condition, Starscream will pick you off one by one like this."_

"But the Autobots will kill us!" one of the three cried.

Ravage remembered how the Autobots had captured him more than once, and swung his head from side to side in disagreement as he reconnected the alarm systems with oddly dexterous paws.

"_No, I do not believe they will. They are signatories to the Treaty of Iacon, and they will, when they find you, be obliged to take you in or repair, In the process, they will take you out of Starscream's reach. Now, the alarm sensors are repaired. Touch it again, only lightly, you will be knocked offline again, but I will watch personally and if need be distract Starscream long enough for the Autobots to take you in."_

The three looked at each other dubiously, then the least injured of them reached out to lightly brush the field. The effect spread through the gestalt bond, and as they fell and the alarms were set off, Ravage ran and hid.

Only when he saw the Autobots come out and find the three did he turn and run back to the _Nemesis_. It would not do for Megatron to have noticed his absence.

When Starscream got there five minutes later, the Reflector gestalt were gone.

oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo

The trio of mechs that made up the gestalt entity known as Reflector all re-onlined within five minutes of each other. They communicated through their gestalt bond while remaining vocally silent, very much aware of the fact that they were in an enemy medical bay and that the Autobot medic Ratchet was standing close by, watching them. The medic may have repaired them but they were still Decepticons, and were not about to let the medic listen in as they conversed.

"_Ravage was right, they didn't kill us,"_ one said.

"_And he was right that they repaired us." _another said.

"_But now what?" _said the first, who then turned to look at Ratchet. "What is it you plan to do with us? Will you kill us or imprison us?" he said out loud.

Ratchet scowled.

"Autobots do not kill on a whim or indiscriminately, so no, and we discussed keeping you a prisoner and decided it is too risky. Optimus Prime has stated that he thinks you are a security risk, so does Red Alert, after all you were trying to get in, keeping you here could be playing into Megatron's hands. No, Optimus has sent a message to Megatron stating he will bring you to neutral ground to hand you back."

One of the three opened his mouth to tell Ratchet that they would likely not survive long enough to get back to the _Nemesis, _but one of the others sent a _"sh!" _down the gestalt-link.

"_Don't tell him, we'll work something out, Megatron betrayed us, we may be able to make this work to our advantage."_

oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo

Starscream returned, wondering how he could tell Megatron he had been unable to complete his mission. His Spark flickered as he entered the control room and saw the look on Megatron's face. Somehow, he already knew.

Megatron, for his part had been furious when Optimus' message had come in just as he heard Starscream land. That Seeker couldn't seem to do _anything_ right! With balls-up after balls-up, Megatron was beginning to wish that taking out Starscream would not be too much trouble. The last thing he needed was to lose control of one of his three trines, killing Starscream would likely destabilise the other two members of his trine so badly that they too would have to be killed. The Decepticon air superiority was the one main advantage the Decepticons had over the mainly ground-based Autobots. No, as much of an irritant as Starscream was, Megatron could not afford to lose any of his trines.

Then he had an idea. Maybe he could turn this whole mess to his advantage.

As he turned to face Starscream, the other was instantly unsettled to see a smile had replaced the frown on his face.

"Mighty Megatron, when I got there the gestalt were not there, but there were signs they had been there. The Autobots must have them. I'm sorry, Mighty Megatron!" whined Starscream, cowering back, fully expecting a slap, or worse.

Megatron nodded.

"I am aware of this, Starscream. I have called your trine mates and the other two trines, for it is apparent to me that the Reflector gestalt have likely betrayed us to the Autobots. The fact that they are being given back by the Autobots, with no cost to us, would suggest that the Autobots and the Reflector gestalt have made some sort of treacherous agreement." He paused to allow the other eight Seekers in his army to reach Starscream's position, then spoke again.

"We will be there in force and ready to fight. You will be airborne. The reflectors will be somewhere about. I want you to find them and kill them, then take as many Autobots out as you can in the confusion."

He raised his arm, fist clenched.

"Death to all traitors of the Decepticon cause!"

oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo

The Reflector units had checked their accumulated data, not just on Megatron, but on all those who were on the _Nemesis_, wondering if any would be sympathetic to their plight, and it was in doing so that they found the perfect revenge to take on Megatron.

Some time ago, the Reflector gestalt had downloaded some information pertaining to flyers in general, but Seekers in particular, and combining that knowledge with the footage they had of Megatron during a particular event in Iacon gave them just what they needed. They now had nine effective ways of paying Megatron back for his treachery, nine Seekers, who, considering the information they had about Megatron, were just loaded cannons waiting for the fuse to be ignited.

Megatron's past was about to catch him up.


	2. Chapter 2

Reap What You Sow.

Chapter Two.

Ripe For Harvest.

A/N: Thanks to KDZeal for help with this in several places.

"You've been sitting staring at each other for three joors," said Ratchet. "Don't think I don't know that you're planning _something_! I'm keeping a close optic on the three of you untill we hand you over."

Ratchet scowled over at the three mechs of the Reflector gestalt. They had been polite enough, and honestly seemed grateful for the repairs and the energon he had provided them with, but Ratchet could not help feeling that they were plotting something. The three were sat in virtual silence on the big berth they were sharing in the medbay, but that was the problem: they were way _too_ quiet.

Ratchet, as a medic, was well aware that all gestalt members shared a bond that was effectively telepathic, they could happily converse over it without speaking out loud, and the way the three were sat, facing towards each other, occasionally moving their heads or hands, suggested to Ratchet that a conversation was going on, and as the three were Decepticons, he could not help but wonder if they were plotting something against the Autobots.

The Reflector gestalt, as they had with his previous outbursts, ignored him, they were too busy reviewing their data. Ratchet was right on one point, the three were indeed plotting, but not against him or any of the Autobots. They were sorting through the incriminating footage they had, cutting and splicing what they had into a coherent account of what they had recorded in the Iacon sparkling refugee centre.

Anyone who had visited would have left satisfied that the sparklings in the complex were being well-cared for and provided for after being shown around all the aboveground rooms, for Megatron had anticipated inspections by well-meaning people, but what the visitors were unaware of was the soundproofed complex down below, which was where the sparklings not used for showcasing were taken and destroyed by loyal grounder mechs.

Even the showcase sparklings survived no longer than two orns, for that was the frequency with which the ship that it was claimed was taking the sparklings to a safe refuge docked. When that happened, all remaining living sparklings were destroyed and their small, broken bodies loaded on board. On the ship a team of mechs dismantled and divided the bodies into parts that could be recycled after no or minimal processing, and parts, such as plating, to be melted down and re-used to make something else.

The Reflector gestalt had gone there when they had found out some vital information that could not be trusted to databurst or comm, and had been admitted by the reception-mech and guided to the lower levels, which they had been told was where Megatron had gone.

Although they were privy to the information (through non-official means) that the sparklings were being destroyed instead of taken to safety on Megatron's orders, it had shocked them to walk into a room and see Megatron actively participating in the killing, and furthermore, apparently _enjoying_ it. It had been in their nature to take photographic and moving image footage of the spectacle, and to continue doing so up to and beyond the point at which Megatron had noticed their presence.

His furious reaction only confirmed to them that he had not intended any of his immediate underlings to see his active participation, and it was likely that the only reason he didn't try killing or threatening them was because the information they possessed required his immediate attention elsewhere. The incident had been forgotten in the urgency of the moment.

"Why do I waste the breath on you?" Ratchet harrumphed, derailing their train of thought. As the medic scowled, one of the three spoke up.

"We are very grateful for the good treatment we have received here, but you cannot expect us to reveal all of our plans. However, we give you our word that our current preoccupation is not on a matter that need concern the Autobots."

"Well, you'll forgive me for not just taking that on _trust_," Ratchet said gruffly. "Decepticons weren't called that for _nothing_!"

The mech who had spoken just stared at Ratchet for a long moment, then turned his back and bowed his head towards the other two, his optics half-shuttering like the other two's optics were. It was an obvious dismissal, bordering on the rude, but there was nothing Ratchet could do about it so he huffed through his vents noisily, kept on staring, and folded his arms, making his scrutiny obvious.

For all the notice they took, he may as well have been invisible.

oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo

The next day was the one agreed upon for the handing over of the Reflector units. Mirage had been sent in two joors earlier and commed back that, as expected, the Decepticons were gathering at the agreed point in force.

Optimus Prime nodded as he received the comm, and sighed, air whooshing from his vents in frustration and disappointment. Although Megatron's turnout with a battle-ready army was predictable and expected, Optimus didn't always like being right. He wished he could see a way for this interminable war to end, so they could all live in peace and get on with their lives, Autobots, Decepticons, and humans alike.

He commed his mechs.

'Everybody who is coming with me, get to the _Ark_'s entrance. All of those staying behind to man the _Ark_, take your posts." Optimus moved to the _Ark_'s entrance, a quick glance telling him all were, as expected, there. Ratchet nodded to convey to Optimus that the Reflector gestalt were in his trailer section, with Bluestreak guarding them, and likely trying to talk their audios off.

"Okay, transform and roll out!" Optimus said, and transformed, and his mechs followed suit.

oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo

Mirage commed then a little later to inform them that all three wings of Seekers had been deployed. The Rainmaker trine's arrival from Cybertron several months earlier, boosting the Decepticon flying ranks by half again, had been an unexpected and nasty surprise. It was unusual for all three trines to be airborne, and Optimus guessed that Megatron was, for some reason, spoiling for a fight. However, if he called off the handover, he risked starting a fight anyway, and would have to risk keeping the Reflector gestalt in the _Ark_ for an unspecified time, something he would rather not do. The security risk the spy-mech gestalt presented was too high, and Red Alert would pitch a fit if they had to accommodate the Reflectors at the base for any longer than they already had.

Alert and wary, he continued on.

oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo

Starscream commed Megatron as he saw the Autobots approach.

'_I see them, mighty Megatron, but I don't see the Reflector gestalt.'_

'_Well, I imagine one of the others has them. Patience, Starscream, we'll get them, the Autobots never break their part of an agreement, the weak, sentimental fools,' _the Decepticon leader replied. _'If they don't send out the Reflectors soon, we'll attack anyway, citing breaking of an agreement as the reason to fight.'_

oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo

Bluestreak broke off his one-sided conversation as a comm came through.

"Hey, Reflectors, I've just been informed we have sighted Megatron and several others at the site of the handover."

He was surprised when one of the three, all of whom had so far steadfastly refused to respond to his talk asked "Can you tell us if there are Seekers aloft? Are any of the trines here?"

"I'll find out." Bluestreak answered, comming Optimus.

Optimus, after deciding it wouldn't hurt or cause problems to tell the gestalt what they would see for themselves in a few minutes, commed back the required information.

"Yes," Bluestreak told them. "I am told there have been nine Seekers sighted, that would make three trines, right? Why do you want to know?"

They did not reply, but as he watched they sat facing inwards, joined hands, and shuttered their optics. They appeared to be deep in thought, or more likely, communication over the gestalt-bond. He wondered what they were doing, but did not separate them, after all whatever they were doing didn't appear to be threatening.

The three Reflector units merged their minds and together found their carefully put-together images and moving footage, then sent it out in a file simultaneously to the nine Seekers. They had all the Seeker's comm-codes, some legitimately, some obtained by their skill and stealth. They also had Megatron's comm code, and a couple of astroseconds later, they sent the exact same file to him, with the addition of two words before the footage played.

**'**_**Slag you!'**_


	3. Chapter 3

Reap What You Sow.

Chapter Three.

Reaping The Whirlwind.

A/N: Warning: Graphic description of Sparkling-killing and mech-gore.

When Starscream received the transmission, he almost didn't bother looking at it, although he was curious. Perhaps the Reflectors would try to excuse themselves? It would make no difference what they said, of course. Megatron had ordered them killed, and Starscream had learned the hard way that disobeying a direct order from Megatron was very unwise.

Wanting to hear what they had to say, and wondering if he could triangulate their location if he let the message play, he accessed it. When the file opened, the first frame got his immediate attention.

Sparklings. Dozens and dozens of small mech and femme infants, lying on pallets, one being fed by a big mech who could hold the small form in one hand. The sound of clicking and whirring was abruptly overlaid by another voice, that of Megatron.

"People of Iacon, this is Decepticon Leader Megatron. As our armies advance into your city to bring it under Decepticon control, we understand your concern for the welfare of your younglings. The soldiers have express orders to have sparklings and younglings conveyed to specially set-up refuge centres, where they will be cared for and kept safe until a ship can take them off world to a safe location. Bring your sparklings to the centres, or gave them to the troops marked with a yellow band of paint in a prominent location, and they will take them. Provide names, addresses, Creator-details and any special requirements, so they can be returned to you safely once the takeover has been stabilised."

Starscream remembered that broadcast, which had been broadcast (with the relevant name of the settlement) to every settlement that the Decepticons had advanced into. It was something that had reassured Starscream's niggle of doubt about this war, knowing the younglings, who were innocents caught up in this adult war, would be safe. Then the images changed, and Starscream felt his Spark flicker and his processor begin to overheat.

The scenes changed from resting, purring sparklings to a scene of horror. Panicked clicks and whistles filled the air as the same mech that had earlier been seen feeding one of the infants was seen pulling a sparkling's head from its body. In the background, other mechs were catching and crushing, or tearing apart the small ones. Pink energon was everywhere: on the mechs, up the walls, pooled on the floor. Then another mech came into view, a very familiar mech.

Megatron.

He grabbed at a sparkling, pulled and twisted its feet as he held its head, and laughed as the sparkling squealed and its energon spurted. Throwing aside the still feebly-moving form, he grabbed another one. Tearing open its chest with a hideous sound of tearing metal, he brought it to his mouth, and the Spark of the youngling was visible briefly in Megatron's mouth just before he swallowed. Then he threw the husk aside and, with another laugh went after a tiny femme Sparkling, who was cowering back with an expression of mixed confusion and terror…

Starscream's head was filled with a buzzing sound and the sound of screaming. As rage flooded his systems and he turned his attention back to the mechs on the ground, he abruptly realised that one of the people screaming was himself…

oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo

Optimus and Ratchet were walking towards Megatron, to greet him before they had the Reflectors brought by Ironhide and Bluestreak, when the screaming began. The screams were the first sign that something unusual was happening, and Optimus jerked his head in the direction the cries had come from - the sky.

The Seekers were still in formation, but only just, and they were all at different altitudes. Thundercracker appeared to have lost the power of flight for a moment, but then he stopped falling as he obviously regained control.

Megatron too had stopped and looked up, and Optimus glanced at him, saw him looking worried. As Megatron began to lift his arm, Optimus noticed that the Seekers had moved.

They had broken formation to congregate in a mass. Even from here he could see the rage on their faceplates, and every Seeker had their optics locked on Megatron. Their screams modulated into a mourning keen, then climbed to a high-pitched screech of pure anger. Then they all began diving, headed for Megatron.

There was a blast from Megatron's cannon, and Optimus dodged, expecting Megatron to have taken advantage of his lapse in concentration, but as he did he heard an agonised scream from the sky, and looked up from his crouch to see a brightly green-patterned Seeker he did not know plummeting, trailing black smoke. As the rest of the Seekers kept coming, Megatron fired again, twice. There were more pained screams and another Seeker fell from the crowd, his wings shattered, shot from his body. With a start, Optimus recognised the wingless one as Thundercracker.

As Megatron shifted his cannon to get another of the Seekers in his sights, there was a bang of displaced air and Skywarp blinked into existence beside the silver mech, slamming into him so he lost his balance, and his next shot fell wide. Following Megatron down, Skywarp grabbed the arm with the gun, twisting it as far as he could before stepping onto the downed Decepticon Leader, bracing himself with his thrusters against Megatron's abdomen. The Decepticon overlord may or may not have realised Skywarp's intentions but could do nothing but scream curses as Skywarp pulled and twisted the arm. Then Skywarp ignited his thrusters.

It as Megatron's turn to scream in agony as the thrusters began to melt through his plating, and Skywarp gave another twist and yank to the arm. Something had to give and it did. Megatron shrieked again as Skywarp abruptly shot up from him, taking the arm with him, as Megatron stared in shock at the shoulder that was now spurting pink energon. Then he seemed to remember the other Seekers, turning his head as Starscream, the Seeker at the head of the avenging flight, reached him.

"Stop! All of you! I am your Leader, I command you to cease this immediately!" Megatron demanded., and Optimus realised that for the first time he could remember, Megatron sounded scared.

His orders did no good, and as Starscream screeched and clawed at Megatron, the weight of his landing pushing the semi-upright Decepticon back down, the rest of the Seekers arrived. Within seconds, Megatron was invisible beneath a writhing, clawing furious mass of Seekers, his demands and curses turning to pained shrieks.

Optimus moved forwards to intervene, but was stopped by Ratchet clamping a hand on his shoulder.

"Prime, no, there is nothing we can do. I have never _seen_ this before, only heard of it. I do not know what has provoked them, but the Seekers are in a berserk state. Megatron is already as good as dead, and if we try to intervene, we will also be attacked , possibly killed too, just by being in the way."

As they watched, Thundercracker ran past, the pain from his destroyed wings not stopping him from throwing himself into the melee. On the other side, they could see Soundwave straining to get to Megatron, Hook holding onto him with both hands and saying something to him. The Decepticon medic must have told Soundwave much the same thing as Ratchet had just told Optimus, for Soundwave also stopped trying to reach Megatron. Ratchet, once he was sure Optimus would not try to get involved, headed off towards the downed green Seeker who was still moving feebly.

By now, Megatron's cries had reduced to fear-filled gurgles, and every now and then energon jetted into the air. Skywarp had returned and dived in again. Pieces of scrap soon began to follow, some of it at first bearing the bright colours of some of the Seekers - Ramjet's left wing was one of the first pieces they saw - but after a short time only pieces of deformed silver metal and chips, wires and cogs were thrown clear of the screeching, clawing, berserk Seekers and their hapless prey.

Everyone else was standing and watching, both Autobot and Decepticon, wondering just what was going on. Nobody seemed inclined to go near, not after Swindle had risked approaching and almost been decapitated by a flailing hand. The cries had stopped, only Seeker keens, snarls and the sound of tearding metal could be heard. Ratchet was working on the downed Seeker, and Soundwave and Hook went over to join them.

"We'll go back to our side now?" asked the Reflectors, as Bluestreak and Ironhide joined Optimus in watching the carnage. Bluestreak blinked twice and then turned to the three mechs.

"What have you done? Don't tell me this is not your doing." Optimus had also turned to look at them.

"You do not seem shocked or surprised by this. Is Bluestreak correct? Is this your doing?"

One of the three lifted a shoulder.

"Megatron sought to betray us, so we showed the Seekers how he betrayed the Creators of Cybertron."

"Explain that," stated Bluestreak.

"Megatron promised sanctuary for the sparklings of Cybertron, but his orders and actions brought them only death." the gestalt mech explained. "We will databurst you what we sent the Seekers."

"You don't have my comm. How..." Optimus tailed off, his optics dimming as he registered an incoming communication.

"We do," they said smugly.

Optimus shook as he viewed the footage.

"Megatron ordered the killing of sparklings and actively assisted in the killings. It seems that the Reflectors told the Seekers, and the Seekers objected, violently, to the knowledge." he told Bluestreak and Ironhide.

"Is there anything we can do about it?" asked Ironhide.

"I don't think so." Bluestreak said, indicating to where the Reflectors had, while Optimus explained, broken away into a run and were heading for Soundwave. Optimus sighed.

"Let them go, we said we would release them, the Decepticons can deal with them now."

He databurst Ratchet, sparing him the distressing footage but summarising it, and told him what the Reflectors had said. Ratchet commed back.

"**Well, that explains a lot. It's little known outside of the medical profession that all Seekers have programming built in to protect sparklings and eliminate any threats. It goes back to a time when that sort of protection was needed, against invading non-Cybertronian races and glitched individuals of our own kind. That was the original function of Seekers. Showing that footage activated it, and they attacked the individual responsible. Though I can't say I blame them. In my opinion, Megatron merely got what he deserved. He killed the sparklings, and that crime has brought him death."**

Optimus turned to look at where the Seekers were getting up, having reduced Megatron to little more than small pieces of energon-spattered metal. It seemed that even his death had not been enough to sate their fury, they had shredded the body into barely recognisable fragments. Broken chips and snapped wires, shattered internals and broken cogs littered the energon-saturated ground. The Seekers themselves were covered in energon, most, but not all of it Megatron's.

All of them were injured, Thrust was walking tipped to one side, off-balance from losing a wing, his foot dragging, twisted at the knee-joint. Starscream had a deep set of claw marks gouged in one wing, his cockpit canopy was crazed with cracks, and one elevator had been torn off his ankle. As well as having no wings left, Thundercracker was covered in gouges and scrapes. The other two members of the Rainmaker trine were dented, gouged and scraped, supporting each other as they turned to limp towards where the medics were working on their green friend.

Ramjet's nosecone was crumpled and dented although that was no surprise, as usual he had gone headfirst into the fight. His remaining wing, however was crumpled and had tears at the edges, the tip bent totally over. Dirge had one arm that was hanging by a few wires, which he cradled in the other, and Skywarp had one wing half torn off, wires hanging out of his damaged waist seam, and deep gouges in his back.

The Seekers moved together, into their trines, Skywarp and Starscream clinging to and stroking Thundercracker, Ramjet and Dirge supporting Thrust, and the two other Rainmakers crouched by their wingmate's side. Ratchet was talking to them and they were stroking him and cooing reassurances to him. Hook stood and beckoned Long Haul over, and together he and Ratchet loaded the injured Seeker on to him, the two medics having decided to put aside faction differences for the time needed to help heal.

"Come here, all of you." Ratchet said. "Let's get you all patched up enough to at least get back to your Base. I take it you have enough spare wings?" he asked Hook. That was Ratchet's greatest concern, for sky-hungry Seekers was the last thing Earth or either side needed.

Hook nodded. "You deal with the Coneheads, I'll see to the Command Trine and we'll take one each of the remaining two." He turned to Soundwave.

"As the Reflectors are back, I see little point in everyone being here." Soundwave nodded, and a few moments later, began organising the other Decepticons to get ready to head back to the _Nemesis_, after telling Ratchet that he and Optimus would need to talk once things had settled down a bit. The loss of Megatron was likely to cause upheaval and a power vacuum, which Soundwave clearly intended to fill.

Optimus nodded as Ratchet explained this, and began organising his own forces to return to the _Ark_.


	4. Chapter 4

Reap What You Sow.

Epilogue.

One Year Later.

Inside the Ark, Optimus stood in front of TELATRAAN-1's screen, watching in amusement as Spike looked around at the blue-winged Seeker that had landed nearby with exasperation.

"D'ya mind not following me around? This is kinda embarrassing, I'm nearly an adult y'know. I mean, it makes a nice change to being shot at by your lot, but that's still kinda fresh in my mind."

Optimus actually sympathised with Spike. Once Soundwave had consolidated his position as Decepticon leader - in quite a clever and elegant manner - it seemed Thundercracker had been assigned to find out more about humans in general by Soundwave. Optimus was hopeful that the fragile ceasefire they had could be solidified.

Soundwave was no fool: he had to realise that the cost of stealing fuel from the Earth's dwindling resources could inflame the humans to attack in force. Optimus hoped Thundercracker's mission was to help Soundwave work out how to best negotiate with the peoples of Earth.

In the course of Thundercracker's investigations, he had found out that Spike was a non-adult, or 'youngling' human. With sparklings at the Decepticon Base, and with Thundercracker himself now carrying a sparkling, he had fixated upon the boy, assigning himself as Spike's guardian when Spike was not inside the Ark. The strange thing was that Soundwave allowed this. Spike had not even been asked his opinion on this, and Optimus was aware that Spike was having trouble taking Carley on dates out of the Ark.

Starscream and Skywarp were sometimes seen in the sky, usually accompanied by their own sparklings. Starscream's and Skywarp's were similar in age. Ratchet had told Optimus that while he had been helping to repair Thundercracker, Soundwave had called Skywarp and Starscream to a meeting. When he next saw Soundwave, the latter was cleaning scuffs off his paintwork. He had guessed that Soundwave had been jumped by the still-twitchy Seekers, who had sought to relieve their remaining stress in a familiar manner: Hook informed him that Soundwave had said it was the other way around: it was he who had pulled Starscream into a kiss while inviting Skywarp to join in.

Ratchet had been curious about the reason behind this, until he found out that once his sparkling was born, Starscream's determination to lead the Decepticons dwindled in the face of looking after a winglet of his own. Ratchet had admired Soundwave's craftiness: he had hit on the best and least dangerous way to secure the leadership for himself, by giving Starscream a different focus, one that would be heightened by his activated programming.

Of course, what Starscream and Skywarp had got, Thundercracker wanted too-in general, if someone interfaced with one member of the trine, they had to go with the other two as well-but he had to wait till the medics had repaired his wings and cleared him as repaired and ready for such.

Soundwave had not objected in the least.

As Spike tried to walk on, and Thundercracker followed him, Optimus decided he'd better intervene, or Spike would not get to the rendezvous with Carley in the woods he had planned. Stopping only to pick up the wristcom he'd had made, he went out.

Spike was in the middle of swearing at the puzzled Thundercracker, who was crouched on all fours to look at Spike, when Optimus came out and tapped Thundercracker on the shoulder, making the blue-winged Seeker jump.

"Thundercracker, you cannot follow Spike around all the time; he needs some space," Optimus said.

"I am his protector. What if he comes into danger and needs my assistance?" Thundercracker said. Optimus held up the wristcom in his hand.

"This has been keyed to transmit Spike's co-ordinates to you in the event that he keys in a distress code, goes unconscious, or falls ill. Wheeljack, Perceptor and Ratchet collaborated on it. That way he can have his independence but you can still defend or aid him if the need arises. It is the closest thing to an internal com we can give him. Now you can allow him to spend some time with his friend."

Thundercracker cocked his head as he gave the matter some thought.

"Yes, that would be acceptable," he agreed. Optimus bent down to offer the wristcom to Spike, who slipped it on and smiled.

"Thanks, Optimus." he said gratefully, before turning and heading into the forest as Thundercracker watched, but did not attempt to stop him or follow him. Both mechs stood and watched the point Spike had gone into before turning away to look at at other.

"I should return to the Nemesis. My sparkling will be put in its own body soon, and then it will need to learn how to fly," Thundercracker stated. He peered at Optimus. "It is an enjoyable situation, being able to raise sparklings instead of fighting. You should Autobots should think about having sparklings of your own, you know."

Optimus chuckled. Many of us have. In fact, many of us have done more than just think about it." He looked thoughtful. "Mine will be ready for its own body soon."

Running a brief scan, Thundercracker confirmed what Optimus had just told him. Indeed, Optimus' Spark-chamber was currently housing two Sparks: he was carrying.

"Congratulations," he stated. "Whose is it?"

Optimus gave an enigmatic smile.

"Now that would be _telling_," he said. Thundercracker nodded, and took off.

Optimus watched Thundercracker fly off, musing that he really needed to have a word with Cliffjumper about this. Thundercracker was the only other person at present who knew that Optimus was carrying. Optimus though it was only polite to speak to the smaller red mech, and let him know that the day spent alleviating their mutual loneliness several weeks earlier had resulted in the sparkling Optimus was carrying. Optimus didn't think that Cliffjumper would have any problems with the information, not judging by the envious looks he'd directed at Ratchet and Ironhide when they had brought their own sparkling out to meet everybody.

A small smile spread over Optimus' face as he turned and walked back inside the _Ark_.


End file.
